Saxophone shield



H. W. LONEY SAXOPHONE SHIELD Filed Oct. 8, 1948 oef. 9, 1951 b u 0 n m. n l I I l I l l l I I I l l l l I l I l f 1 .y l M Patented Oct. 9, 1951 wessi SAXOPHONE SHIELD Hugh W. Loney, Elkhart, Ind., assignor to C. G.

Conn, Ltd., Elkhart, Ind., a corporation of Indiana Application October 8, 1948, Serial No. 53,473

`3 Claims.

My invention relates to an improved shield to protect the Stoppers on a. saxophone or like instrument.

Conventionally a saxophone has a hook shaped bell portion upon which are mounted a pair of large Stoppers, or pads. These are normally mounted on the left side of the saxophone and are adjacent the players right leg during playing. As a consequence, these Stoppers tend to be struck by the knee of the operator with the resultant interference with operation and possibility of physical damage. Moreover, operating mechanism for these and other Stoppers of the saxophone is usually mounted on the lower end of the saxophone where it may be struck by the knee of the operator to interfere with operation and possibly cause damage.

Heretofore wire guards have been mounted on saxophones to protect the stoppers and operating mechanism on the bell and lower portion of the body of the instrument. However, these are relatively ineffective and, in addition, add considerable weight to the instrument.

In accordance with the present invention a light weight protector shield overlays these stoppers and the operating mechanism at the lower end of the saxophone and has its edges in spaced relation with the saxophone. It has been found that with this structure the bell Stoppers and associated operating mechanisms are protected while at the same time the tonal quality of the saxophone is improved. Moreover, the appearance of the instrument is made more pleasing.

The novel features which I believe to be characteristic of my invention are set forth with particularity in the appended claims. My invention itself, however, both as to its organization and method of operation may best be understood by reference to the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawing in which:

Figure 1 is a side elevational view with parts in phantom showing a saxophone with the shield of the present invention mounted thereon;

Figure 2 is an enlarged isometric view of the shield of the present invention; and,

Figure 3 is an enlarged cross-sectional view through axis 3 3, Figure 1.

Referring now to Figure 1 there is shown at S the main tube or body portion of a saxophone. The hooked bell portion B is afiixed to the bottom end of body portion S and a mouthpiece M is attached to the upper end of the body.

As indicated7 a pair of Stoppers or pads HJ and l2 are alixed to the left side of the bell portion B of the saxophone. These are opened and closed by manipulation of arms i4 and i6, respectively, which extend over to the main body portion S of the instrument. The arms M and i6 are in turn actuated by the key mechanism indicated generally at it and which is manipulated by the player. It will be observed that a plurality of key operating elements indicated generally at l5, are mounted on the lower left hand portion of the body B. These operate Stoppers I0 and I2 as well as other Stoppers located on the lower end portion ci the instrument.

In accordance with the present invention, a protective shield si! overlays the Stoppers I0 and l2 and the operating arms I4 and I6 to dene a hood over the same. In addition this shield extends over the key operating mechanism l5 1ocated on the bottom left hand portion of the saxophone. The shield 253 is supported from the bell B and body S of the saxophone by the mounting pins 22 affixed thereto to dene mounting members and which are received in the mounting holes 23d (Figure 2) of the shield.

The shield 2i) may be attached to the mounting pins 22 by appropriate screws 22a. threadedly received in these members as shown in Figure 1.

In order to provide ample room for opening and closing movements of the stoppers I0 and EZ and their actuating arms I4 and I6, the shield 2! has a pair of domed portions Zilli. These portions are in registry with these Stoppers and permit the same to be opened wide without interference from the shield. Ii desired, pads may be mounted on the top faces of Stoppers ID and I2 as shown at lila and |2a, Figs. 1 and 3. These pads may be of telt or like padding material and bottom against the domes 2Gb to limit the opening movements of stcppers l0 and l2.

It will be observed that the shield 20 is in spaced relation with the bell B and body portion S of the saxophone along its entire edge or peripheral portion. I have discovered that by thus mounting the shield it acts as a resonator to improve the tonal quality of the instrument. Thus the Stoppers and actuating mechanism are not only protected, but the tone of the instrument is improved as well.

The shield 2G is imperiorate and therefore does not allow entrance of foreign objects, no matter how small, into the space occupied by the Stoppers le and I2 and the operating mechanisin l5. This is in contrast to the wire guards heretofore used since they necessarily involved open spaces into which foreign objects, such as a fold of clothing, could travel to interfere with operation to the Stoppers.

The shield 20 is preferably constructed of the light weight, transparent plastic material, such as polymerized vinyl resin. This material is strong and lends itself to an attractive design in keeping with the beauty of the instrument on which it is mounted. Such design may, for example, be embossed on the inner surface of the shield to present an attractive, ornamental, appearance without marring the smooth exterior surface of the protector.

While I have shown a specific embodiment of my invention, it will, of course, be understood that many variations and alternative embodiments thereof may be made without departing from the true spirit and scope thereof and that by the appended claims I intend to cover all such modifications and alternative constructions as fall within the true spirit and scope of my invention.

What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is:

1. A tone-improving protector for a saxophone or the like having an elongated body portion joined to a hook shaped bell portion with a plurality of Stoppers, said protector comprising a unitary hood of thin imperforate material overlaying the lower end of the body portion and the major part of said bell portion and having domes to receive said Stoppers, said protector being mounted in spaced relation with said bell and body portions and having a marginal skirt portion extending toward said bell and body portions, said hood further defining a, substantial tone reecting surface.

2. A tone-improving protector for a saxophone or the like having an elongated body portion joined to a hook shaped bell portion with a plurality of Stoppers, said protector comprising a unitary hood of thin imperforate material overlaying the lower end of the body portion and the major part of said bell portion and said Stoppers and mounted in spaced relation therewith, said hood dening a substantial tone reflecting surface relative to said bell and body portions and having a marginal skirt portion extending toward said bell and body portions.

3. A tone-improving protector for a, saxophone or the like having an elongated body portion joined to a hook shaped bell portion with a plurality of Stoppers, said protector comprising a unitary hood of thin imperforate material overlaying the lower end of the body portion and the major part of said bell portion and said Stoppers and mounted in spaced relation therewith to denne a substantial tone reilecting surface.

HUGH W. LONEY.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the le of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,691,515 Gesford Nov. 13, 1928 2,090,011 Selmer Aug. 17, 1937 

